Fagaceae FAMILY

Quercus wislizenii

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

All parts of the plant contain tannins. Whilst tannins are found in many foods, and have a range of medicinal uses. They are usually only present in low concentrations. In some foods made from oaks (particularly the seeds), the tannin content can be quite high unless the food is treated to reduce tannin content. Tannins are only of low toxicity and, because of their bitter taste and astringency, are unlikely to be eaten in large quantities. However, if they are taken in excess, they can cause stomach pains; constipation followed by bloody diarrhoea: excessive thirst; and excessive urination[ 293 Title Poisonous Plants of North Carolina Publication Author Website http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/poison.htm Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent concise but comprehensive guide to toxic plants that grow in N. Carolina. It lists even those plants that are of very low toxicity, including several well-known food plants such as carrots and potatoes. ].

Botanical Description

Quercus wislizenii is an evergreen shrub that only reaches 2.4 - 4 metres tall or, more commonly, a tree with a dense full crown that usually grows from 10 - 22 metres tall, exceptionally to 27 metres. The bole can be 30 - 90cm in diameter, exceptionally to more than 200cm[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeSouth-western N. America - California, northern Baja California.

HabitatDesert mountain slopes and sand chaparral, valleys; at elevations from 300 - 1,900 metres[ 71 Title A California Flora. Publication Author Munz P.A. & Keck D.D. Publisher University of California Press; Los Angeles Year 1959 ISBN - Description An excellent flora but no pictures. Not for the casual reader. , 229 Title The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Publication Author Elias. T. Publisher Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. Year 1980 ISBN 0442238622 Description A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions. , 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. No more than a shrub when growing in the desert, it forms trees when growing in the sheltered coastal valleys[ 82 Title Manual of the Trees of N. America. Publication Author Sargent. C. S. Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Dover Publications Inc. New York. Year 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X Description Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader. It can be downloaded from the internet. ].